Who are you shipping with? An how much is you dont mind me asking? PM info or post here your call.

I will be PMing you in the future. Thinking about an SE in the future!!! The F800 is awesome but I like the hooligan attitude of the SE

We're shipping with Lyn Cargo who I recommend highly. GREAT service. Was just there yesterday. Veronica said another motorcyclist was coming in to ship and we thought it might be you. My shipping to Miami was like $880. My bike flies out this morning and I fly out tomorrow. Henry is shipping to Mexico City and flies out this Saturday. If it is you coming in to Lyn Shipping, we left a hotel recommendation for you. Its close to the airport and Lyn Shipping, and has secure parking.

The SE is a GREAT bike and is sooooo much fun!!!! But I do stupid things on it and it spanks me every once in awhile. I've struggled with the hooligan urges on this trip and have been mostly successful at containing them. It was nice to finish the trip with no visits to a South American emergency room.

So after parting ways with Mihai I made the push to Riobamba. I was hoping for Banos but hit Riobamba with about an hour of daylight left. I made the right call and stayed in Riobamba.

Somewhere around Riobamba

Got up and got a move on in the am and went to Banos.

I thought that it would be just over an hour but due to rain, getting lost and a rock slide that made the road impassable until it was cleared by heavy equipment it took me about 3.5 hours to get to Banos.

Had a little bit of good dirt and fun turns. I really was enjoying the ride but I was concerned about the harsh threatening mountain weather.

Riobamba to Banos

Not quite ideal visibility but still a cool ride

Trying to show the size of the area. There is a moto in that pic

I intentionally over-exposed this pic a little. This is damn near what it was actually like as far a visibility.

Very cool place that the river bottle necked creating a cool canyon.

Somewhere in the woods south of Banos

I had lunch in Banos and the weather really started to turn. I think Banos would be a really cool place to hang out not in the pouring rain. Lots of cool hking and ATVs to rent.

So after a hot meal on with the rain gear and into the really nasty weather. Instead of going up the PanAm which I really try to avoid I took the road that went east of the mountains. I also thought the weather would be better. I was wrong! Very!!

My plan was to push to Baez. The rain had been beating me up all afternoon so I thought Baez would be a good compromise to Otavalo. All along the road there were pretty nice hosterias so of course there would be a couple near Baez!

Nope! A couple of hours of brutal rain and i reached my goal to find no hotels! Or any other type of accommodations. OK hmmmm I will head toward Quito 200k away and find something.

As I climb the mountains to Quito the temperature drops...a lot! I am now soaked all the way through my gear and the temp drops to 38F. The rain has almost stopped but I am cold to the core. I have all my gear on and still worrying about hypothermia. Having trouble feeling the hands even in winter gloves.

No option but to keep pushing. Luckily after about an hour the temp really starts to climb and I can start to feel my left foot again. I didn't really see any worth while accommodations until Cumbaya. Its very close to Quito so what the hell. At least I know where there are lots of good accommodations in Quito.

I get to Quito just before 7. My GPS starts sending me in circles and since it is dark I cant really use the landmarks I know. I try to flag down a cab to do the follow a cab trick and none will stop because they are confused that I have a moto. A lady stops and tells me they wont stop b/c my bike wont fit in the cab...no shit. After explaining 7-15 times I am just trying to get a cab to follow she finally gets it. She knows where I want to and says follow her. She goes about a mile and stops. Asks how much I am going to pay her. I say 5 bucks and she says she will just give me directions. I have explained to her that I have been on the bike for 12 hours and I am cold and exhausted. I will follow a cab. She says no no follow me. Goes another mile and stops again to ask me more questions and gives me directions. She stops in the middle of the road and I just drive off on her. No patience left and I have now confirmed this lady is whack.

Finally I explain to a taxi driver my deal and he says no problem for 5 bucks its done. Finally over 2 hours after arriving to Quito I am at my hotel. Very tough day. My toughest since a day I had in Guatemala. All part of the journey...right?

I decide to spend 2 nights in Quito. I need some rest and to dry out. All my gear is soaked and I could pour water out of my boots. As I am in bed at 1 and dozing off to a movie I hear the buzzer for the front door of the hotel constantly buzzing. Off and on for 45 min. I get up and see what is going on. The front door guy is wasted and passed out not hearing the buzzer. I let the guest in that had a room there. The icing on the cake to just a total kick in stomach day.

I am not going say today I was all positive attitude and remember you are living a dream during all this. I was pissed, cold, very tired and wet! But I did wake up the next day and laugh it off over coffee breakfast and blue skies that Quito was nice enough to treat me to!!

A little walking around Quito today hope to cross back into Colombia tomorrow.

It is me. I had planned to be in Bogota late today or early tomorrow from Popayan. I am now trapped in Popayan due to some protest from coffee workers. They have blocked all the roads. I tried to go today and talked to a bunch of truckers that said dont bother. They had been sitting there for 3 days.

I will try again tomorrow. the rumor is this is the last day of the protest. I really need to be at Lyncargo on fri b/c I have a flight Sunday. Shit is getting a little stressful for me. If I dont make it through tomorrow who knows what my next move will be.

I think it will be all good tomorrow. All details coming in one of my next posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonz

We're shipping with Lyn Cargo who I recommend highly. GREAT service. Was just there yesterday. Veronica said another motorcyclist was coming in to ship and we thought it might be you. My shipping to Miami was like $880. My bike flies out this morning and I fly out tomorrow. Henry is shipping to Mexico City and flies out this Saturday. If it is you coming in to Lyn Shipping, we left a hotel recommendation for you. Its close to the airport and Lyn Shipping, and has secure parking.

The SE is a GREAT bike and is sooooo much fun!!!! But I do stupid things on it and it spanks me every once in awhile. I've struggled with the hooligan urges on this trip and have been mostly successful at containing them. It was nice to finish the trip with no visits to a South American emergency room.

I walked around Quito and enjoyed the nice sunny skies which I did not have my first pass through. I realized that I saw what I could in a day the first time around and just kind of had a lazy day. I went to the Gondola since it was blue skies and would be a great view of the city. Lonely Planet said it was $4 in 2009 or 2010. It is now 850. I didn't go up. For me a total waste of money. You get good views of the city on the way in. I am also a retired ski bum and have been on a lot of cool trams and gondolas so to go up one just for pic is not worth the money to me at all. It is also very clear that this whole gondola thing is a total failed venture. There are run down and abandon gift shops and the area leading up to it is just not well kept. My 2 cents if you are in Quito save your time and money.

Pics from the bottom of the gondola

The gondola

Then off to one of the bigger parks in Quito. It was very cool! Lots of activity b/c it was a weekend. Nice to see people taking advantage of the park. They had a very nice BMX track and skateboard park as well.

Future X game athletes

Going to head north tomorrow. How far will depend on how the border crossing goes.

The border crossing was a breeze and I had it all done in about an hour.

Back in Colombia

Off and on rain but really clear skies compared to my ride to Quito. I was making pretty good time and thought about pushing all the way to Popayan.

As I was siting on the side of the road in Pasto at 4 PM trying to make my decision on weather to go for Quito or not a guy pulls up next to me. This is the second time today I stopped on the side of the road to mess with the GPS and the second time a Colombian has just randomly stopped and asked me if I need help or directions. Pretty damn cool I think.

So the guy in Pasto is Wilmar. He is on a small moto and offers for me to follow him to the PanAm North. I explain to him that I am not really lost and just trying to decide weather to stay in Pasto or not. I said I noticed the stadium had a lot of activity as I drove by, and asked if there was a soccer game tonight. He says yes at 530 and pulls his ticket out of his pocket.

Then tells me he has a friend that runs a nice cheap hotel and calls him right on the spot. I decide to stay and Wilmar leads the way to the hotel. Once I get there I find out that my room isnt ready but Wimar's best friend says I can shower and store my things in his room until after the game. Wilmar then offers to go buy me a ticket to the game while I shower and he will be back to get me in 30 min! How cool is that? Totally going out of his way for a total stranger and I finally get to see a soccer game!

These are the times you have to go with your gut! 20 min after meeting this guy I have dumped all my worldly possessions in his friends room and am off to a soccer game in a strange city with this guy! I had a good feeling about him. They only mistake I made was I under estimated his generosity. He is truly one the good ones in the world.

One a side note after traveling solo again for about 4 days I have noticed a change. More people approaching me and offering to help. More conversations and interactions. When the Quebs and I were traveling together we met lots of people but it is for sure a different experience being solo. Not saying one is better or that I would trade my time with the Quebs. It is just different. Mihai and Pawel for sure made my time on the road better. Lots of laughs and great riding. Super fun guys to travel with and they even put up with my total lack of patience. Thanks guys. I really believe I will see them both in the future and probably do another ride someday. I hope. But once again solo the trip is not the group you are in moving along together but now all about interacting with strangers b/c it is you all on your own.

Right now I cant say that I prefer one or the other. I think that Mihai and Pawel were the right 2 people to run into. Other people I met on the road I could tell right away it would not last a day had we ridden together. That being said I think it is a choice people need to figure out for themselves. I like to travel with the right people but due to my antsy nature and lack of patience I dont see myself waiting on someone to do a trip. If I have the time and the plan I am going to go. People are welcome but I will not delay an adventure to wait on someone. The end result of that is far to often the trip not happening at all!

Enough babble where was I? Oh right, here!

I only had my phone b/c I didn't think taking my nice camera to the game was a good idea. We had a blast! Wilmar and I met his son and little brother at the game. Wilmar is just a good dude with great values that loves soccer and his town of Pasto.

Thanks again so much Wilmar. You took a town that I thought I would just pass through and made it a truly special experience of my trip.

After the one goal of the game. Pasto beat Barranquil 1-0. There were a lot of scoring chances, yellow cards and jumping out of my seat. Just truly an amazing time!!!!

Not a great pic but any event with riot police and armored vehicle outside of it I need to check out!!

Dinner after the game.

The boys both had lots of questions for me. Especially about bears! I told them they only like to eat cafe skin people so I am safe. So much fun and so many laughs. Thanks again to all of you!!

Saying good bye with some pics of the boys on the moto.

One last word on the kind of people that you can meet traveling. Wilmar and I have traded emails with the help of google translate. I said thanks and how special it was for me to really feel like a friend or even family.

The gist if his reply is that family is characterized by nice people and where you are in the world. He wanted me to feel like family b/c if he was in AK he would hope to find the same.

He is practicing what he believes and what a great outlook. I love the sense of family value and passion for meeting new people in South America.

A short ride from Pasto to Popayan. I wanted to head east from Popayan through the dessert and to Neiva. I have heard different opinions of the road so I thought it would be better to get on it in the morning. As I was riding just south of Popayan near Tibio I came to several people in the road. Protesting and make shifts road blocks.

I thought I would just talk to them and pass on through. No dice. i talked to guy who was pretty reasonable but not happy. He told me coffee workers were striking for 3 days. Hmmm ok. I guess I will think of another plan. As I start to formulate said plan a guy comes up to me and tells me there is a way around. Awesome. He hops on his small moto and takes me through some dirt roads. I think the protestors knew what was going on but turned a blind eye. The guy wished me luck and I thanked him profusely. Wooo hooo on the other side and on my way to Popayan.

As i walked around Popayan that night I saw a TV in a hair salon and there was a moto on fire something about coffee farmer protest and Neiva. Hmmm this could cause a change in plans.

I got a hold of Ximena the doctor in Popayan that we met on our way south that said if we needed anything to get a hold of her. I asked her about this protest and she made some calls. The road to Cali was for sure blocked and but the one to Neiva was suppose to be open. I got lost trying to find the right road and started thinking about what I had heard about the protests. I was skeptical that the road to Neiva was open. I knew the road block for Cali was close to Popayan so i thought I would at least go take a look. Here is what I saw as i go close.

Also noticed very few vehicles heading south and no big trucks at all. As i got a couple of kilometers south of the road block I stopped and talked to some truckers.

Some of the guys

They told me not to bother going to Neiva. The road was blocked. A couple of the guys were even form there and said it would be wasted effort. I thought about it and what was the point in getting a couple hundred kilos from Popayan and possible not having a place to stay or dealing with a bad situation. Back to Popayan it is. Some of the protesters and truck drivers said that the protest should be over tomorrow. Another day is making me cut it close for the scheduled time to ship my bike but nothing I can do.

Hiked up to the 3 crosses in Popayan and these kids were on a mini field trip/PE class. Lots of question about AK and bears.

Climbing some trees to pick these little sour fruits. Even the teacher was climbing the trees.

Found this article on line after online after the first day I got turned around North of Popayan.

Yesterday I actually had a lot of fun with the truckers and laughed a lot. They were all really nice guys. I did my best to communicate. I asked one of them if he could call Ximena when the road open and she could email me. He said no problem.

Thanks Luis. The next day I get up pack and ride out to the truckers again. It is probably a lost cause but have an unrealistic amount of optimism that I will be able to sweet talk my way through the protest. I stop and say hi to the truckers and tell them I am going to look.

I roll up on the road block and talk to a guy with a stick. He has several other friends with sticks. There was a pile of burned tires in the road and several trees across the road. One guy is pretty much an asshole. We talk as good as we can an I tell him I understand his problem. But now I have a problem. I cant get home to see my family and go to work to live and support my family. Some of the other guys really seemed to get it but the one that did the most talking said so. He didn't care.

Then another dude comes up very nicely and says I have a nail in my tire. Yep there is a big nail hanging out of my tire. I ask the leader guy if that is from them. He said yes. I tell him I think that it is bullshit. I didn't try to pass any of their road blocks and now I have a nail in my tire. He says he doesn't care. I refrain from telling to f@*% off and he can tell that. The approach attitude and protest of these guys is bullshit in my opinion.

Not sure if it is true but there is a story that an ambulance tried to get through and the protesters said no. The lady in the ambulance allegedly died.

I understand these farmers are at their wits end. They are already dirt poor and losing money. They want to provide for their family and I get all that. However when people directly or indirectly cause the loss of life it does not motivate the other side to help and negotiate. I am fearful this will escalate and end badly. The protest that was suppose to be only 3 days and is now in the 5th. The president has already basically said tuff shit there is no more money to give. So now what? Who bends? Right now nobody and police are gearing up to go in.

I drive off with the nail in my tire. Go back to my trucker buddies and tell them what I saw. Then they all watch me plug my tire. I had a pretty big audience. All they guys were pretty impressed and thought my plug work was pretty slick. Glad I nailed the plug on the first try. I have never had tubeless tires before and it was my first plug! Tubeless tires are AWESOME!

The plug

My audience and new friends. There is an F800 in there somewhere.

These poor guys have been on the side of the road for 3 nights and sleeping in their trucks. They are losing money as well.

You can see the cops in the back right of the photo. After the pic I said no polica in photo por favor. All the truckers busted up laughing!! I then told the cops I was just joking and they loved it. Here they are still laughing.

This guys was Luis's co-worker and a riot. A little crazy but a total riot. He kept giving me bananas or plantains. Whatever the are, they are just like bananas.

This is Luis. Another new friend. He said he would call Ximena when the road opens. Great guy looking tough on the moto.

I also talked to the Police while hanging out with the truckers and asked why they don't go in and remove the protestors. They said that there are to many protestors. I have now seen another article that said police are gearing up to go in. I don't think that this is going to stop soon or end well. I hope that I am wrong but the farmers are very angry and not willing to bend. The government claims it has nothing left to give. Where is the middle ground in all that? There were talks last night between farmer's reps and the government and I have heard of no change or results.

In the meantime I am getting to know Popayan. I went out to dinner with Ximena her brother and niece last night. We had a lot of fun and it was a great dinner. Having good friends here helps to pass the time. There are far worse places to be stuck in the world.

At this point I have missed one appointment to ship the moto and canceled my flight to Miami. It is an experience for sure! It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. I figure my losses due to the protest at this point are just under $200. Not a huge deal and it is more the time than the money causing me stress. I had cut my trip short in hopes of going to visit my brother, sister and their kids. All that becomes much less likely with each day lost.

Small potatoes compared to possibly losing your livelihood but still important to me. I am still waiting in Popayan at this point.

Hey A K just caught up with your ride report. Good stuff. Look forward to seeing how my fellow colombians treat you on your way out. Nice if you could leave the bike, work some more and come back to do some more riding. Let me know if you need anything in Medellin in case you end up there again. Best wishes

I think a free C-130 ride from Popayan to Cali courtsey of the Colombian military is pretty damn good treatment!!!

Trying to raise the bar on the "Adventure" part of Adventure Riding!

Colombia is one AWESOME place!!

Picks and post soon. Weak internet tonight so...I will try but no promises.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trespalacios

Hey A K just caught up with your ride report. Good stuff. Look forward to seeing how my fellow colombians treat you on your way out. Nice if you could leave the bike, work some more and come back to do some more riding. Let me know if you need anything in Medellin in case you end up there again. Best wishes

Late afternoon March 2 I hear the protest is over!! I am pretty damn excited about that. I get all packed and I mean all but my tooth brush and I am hitting the road at 7 am. Bogota is between 11 and 13 hours and I am determine to do most or all of it in a day to get the bike ready to ship on Monday.

I get back to my hotel room and consider purchasing a new flight to Miami and something just doenst feel right. I have the news on and really start paying attention and typing words on the screen into google translate. I was reading what I thought I was reading. The protests have ended/ decreased in certain areas.

Shortly after that I get a text from Ximena saying she talked to Luis(the trucker) and he is till sitting in the same spot. Damn it. It is a little after midnight and I am tired so I crash. I might have cried myself to sleep. I sleep about 4 hours and then just toss and turn. There has to be a way!

I get up an dont really accomplish anything except goofing off on the computer. Joined facebook. Already want to cancel my account after a day. And before I run out for breakfast I decide to check Tango app one more time. I need wifi to make it work. There are several messages from Ximena saying that Manuel (Airport Fireman) called and there is a C-130 there he thinks I can get on. No Way!

I am out the door to the airport in about 20 min. I get there a little after 10 and it takes some doing to find Manuel or anyone that remotely knows my story from when I went to the airport a couple of days earlier.

There is a plane there but lots of people getting on it. So they tell me not this one but the next.

Plane 1

I am thinking yeah right, this can't be happening! Manuel escorts me and my bike to the tarmac side of the airport and now I am thinking this could really happen!

On the secured side...one step closer

Military C-130 (plane 2)

Mind you this was not my idea and I am really just going with the flow. The deal is that several C-130s have already come in. People that have needed to get out have as well as any medical situations are handled. So now these C-130s are leaving empty or with just a few people on them.

All the military guys and firefighters are very interested in my story. Most guys thought it was awesome and then there are always a few that are; "why". No matter how you explain it the still dont get why. They are the minority for sure.

Some of the military guys:

Where I spent most of my day. I talked to German. Another fire fighter that is learning english. A very interseting dude and very fun to talk to. He gave me a firefighter patch. Very cool. I thought I had a pic of him but I guess not.

I end up hanging out most of the day and the good saint of Popayan (Ximena) shows up a little later. Thank god b/c I was totally out of Spanish. Once she showed up things started happening! Guy comes to search my bike. They were all taking this so serious that at first he just acted like a dog sniffing my bike. After the jokes they did actually go through most bags.

Where I spent the rest of my day. There is Ximena with that cool stylish vest. I think by the time I left they had offered her a job at the airport! She knows how to get things done! I also took the pic right as she was finishing a big yawn! Your welcome for the action shot Ximena!

I had asked her brother if there were any jobs open at the family printing business b/c if I wasnt gone by Monday I was ready to start work.

One the printing biz products and a gift to me. Yearly planner

I went through and wrote ride moto on everyday of the year!

Unloading the plane and general airport activity during a minor crisis.

The man!! And boy do I mean it. Manuel just made things happen and it was all no big deal!

Had it not been for Ximena and Manuel this never would have happen. 2 people that just give without even thinking. Helping is just their nature. Either of them alone make a lasting impact on a person and then the two of them together just made me truly humble. Without even knowing they inspire others to be better people. This is not overstating it for me at all. To see how it is truly there nature to give and help is amazing.

There is no way to thank Ximena enough. She was a full time translator and gringo liaison. She was always making calls to the police and road information number to find out what was happening. Thank you just seems like it is not enough.

As for Manuel the guy was literally running around the airport trying to make it all happen. He is a goofy funny guy that is generous to his core. His ability to make things happen and have a great time doing was great to see in action. Thank you Manuel.

Holy shit...I think this is really going to happen...look how close my bike is to the plane!

There was one lady that did not like the idea at all! She was a woman of some authority too, so she made me a little nervous that she was going to kink the whole deal. She asked me what the US consulate said when I talked to them and I just had a dumb look on my face. Never once did I consider myself to be in a state of emergency, hence the idea of calling the US consulate never crossed my mind at all. The whole idea of putting my bike on a C-130 to Cali was hatched by people at the airport. It was all not a big deal to them. Their thought process was if there are empty C-130s leaving why wouldn't you put the moto on it? Manuel just said keep moving forward and it will be done before she even knows what happen. OK! I am just along for the ride.

Look at this!

The military dudes loved it. Even the pilots thought it was cool to put a sweet moto on their plane. It was happening now! Everyone wass just having too much fun with it!

A wave bye to the Saint/Angel of Popayan! Thanks again Ximena. I think logistics in crisis situations is your true calling!!!

Moto on and strapped down

Cant have too many pics of your bike on a Colombian C-130

30 min later

I am now in Armenia. 4-6 hours from Bogota depending on who you talk to.

A day for the ages for sure. One hell of a bday present to go from being trapped with no beer to free C-130 ride and lots of new friends. I kept the birthday thing quiet until the end. It kind of came up and then it was smiles all around. People loved that we were all pulling this off on my birthday.

The rumor is no more protest from here to Bogota or at least peaceful ones. I went through one just north of Palmira today and it was very cilil. Traffic passing by and guys with banners stating their cause.

Here am now just reflecting on the day and I think now really taking it all in.

Someone recently asked me if I was ready to go back to work? I hope they are following this RR. Would you be ready/want to go back to work? I mean this stuff will never happen again!!

Awsome ride/adventure. Sounds like you met some really great people and thats what I found to be the most inspiring part of your posts. Columbia looks fantastic. Still chillin here at the Bay (currently -27F /-54F WIND CHILL). Loking forward to having a couple beers with AK Smitty...the next rounds on me.